Post by ajk on Jul 14, 2016 22:26:17 GMT -5
I've stayed neutral and patient so far but this episode seemed lacking. The story needs to start taking off and moving forward, but it felt like the story was getting a little weaker in this episode instead of firming up.
The romance angle, just not feeling it any more. Now after Jung-hwa has told GB to get lost and forget about her, she's spending days by his bedside hoping he recovers from the poison. Ugh. And all the vacant stares, so much screen time with the vacant stares. The trading rivalry, it's still early on that, but there isn't a lot to care about right now. Just not enough of a foundation for any kind of story that would make you care about one group or the other succeeding. The slave-trade angle certainly would be a good foundation for it, but that hasn't been emphasized much, only discussed in the abstract. Whatever--there needs to be a lot more depth and substance to the story or it's not going to hold our attention.
By far the most interesting person right now is Yeom Moon. He's one of those characters I like a lot, the kind being pulled in different directions by competing motives. He obviously has so much good in him, now even saving GB from the poison while knowing full well that GB not only has Jung-hwa's heart but is a business rival too. There even was just that faint hint of a smile when he saw GB healthy and walking away--how could you not like that...
...which made it all the more unappealing and bizarre that he would just pick up his sword and go try to kill Sul Pyung. Or for that matter, that he would really think he'd be able to pull it off. Sorry, just didn't buy it. And why didn't he cover the top of his head so he couldn't be identified? Of course he would have done that. Please don't squander this character, writers.
Oh good grief, YM did a forward flip from a standing position--up onto a roof? Stop that. Stop it right now!
One thing that I absolutely have to complain about: That whole thing in the previous epsiode with Jung-hwa being arrested--we never did get any kind of resolution. What prohibited item was found and who was responsible? It would be critical to the trading group to get to the bottom of it all, but the storyline was completely abandoned. Those kinds of unresolved plot points totally drive me nuts. I hope that doesn't become a regular occurrence in this series.
I do like Master Yi seeing through Madam Jami's motives but pretending to play along. That kind of thing always makes a story more interesting. He's a smart guy. So is Master Jo--it looks like he'll be sticking around and that's good for the story too.
GB gave the right answer about attending that banquet. It's just a banquet, no big deal, and the gesture of magnanimity and unity is worth whatever discomfort it might entail.
"I will destroy your wealth and power with my own hands." What a dumb thing for GB to say. He's in no position to do anything to her; he should just shut up and hold his cards close to the vest. And he still hasn't thanked her for sparing his life when she had every reason to have him executed. He does owe her for that, if nothing else.
Those merchant groups seemed a little bit small for the volume of trading you'd expect they'd be doing. But that's okay, these shows don't have infinite budgets...and the scenes of the groups traveling through the countryside, they were beautiful, very enjoyable. I was wondering about the flags, though--did merchant groups typically carry so many flags? Struck me as an odd thing for private commercial interests to be doing.
P.S. Say what you will about GB's hair, but Yon's hair seems much creepier to me. How does it levitate like that? Shilla must have had some monster boffo hair technology back then.
The romance angle, just not feeling it any more. Now after Jung-hwa has told GB to get lost and forget about her, she's spending days by his bedside hoping he recovers from the poison. Ugh. And all the vacant stares, so much screen time with the vacant stares. The trading rivalry, it's still early on that, but there isn't a lot to care about right now. Just not enough of a foundation for any kind of story that would make you care about one group or the other succeeding. The slave-trade angle certainly would be a good foundation for it, but that hasn't been emphasized much, only discussed in the abstract. Whatever--there needs to be a lot more depth and substance to the story or it's not going to hold our attention.
By far the most interesting person right now is Yeom Moon. He's one of those characters I like a lot, the kind being pulled in different directions by competing motives. He obviously has so much good in him, now even saving GB from the poison while knowing full well that GB not only has Jung-hwa's heart but is a business rival too. There even was just that faint hint of a smile when he saw GB healthy and walking away--how could you not like that...
...which made it all the more unappealing and bizarre that he would just pick up his sword and go try to kill Sul Pyung. Or for that matter, that he would really think he'd be able to pull it off. Sorry, just didn't buy it. And why didn't he cover the top of his head so he couldn't be identified? Of course he would have done that. Please don't squander this character, writers.
Oh good grief, YM did a forward flip from a standing position--up onto a roof? Stop that. Stop it right now!
One thing that I absolutely have to complain about: That whole thing in the previous epsiode with Jung-hwa being arrested--we never did get any kind of resolution. What prohibited item was found and who was responsible? It would be critical to the trading group to get to the bottom of it all, but the storyline was completely abandoned. Those kinds of unresolved plot points totally drive me nuts. I hope that doesn't become a regular occurrence in this series.
I do like Master Yi seeing through Madam Jami's motives but pretending to play along. That kind of thing always makes a story more interesting. He's a smart guy. So is Master Jo--it looks like he'll be sticking around and that's good for the story too.
GB gave the right answer about attending that banquet. It's just a banquet, no big deal, and the gesture of magnanimity and unity is worth whatever discomfort it might entail.
"I will destroy your wealth and power with my own hands." What a dumb thing for GB to say. He's in no position to do anything to her; he should just shut up and hold his cards close to the vest. And he still hasn't thanked her for sparing his life when she had every reason to have him executed. He does owe her for that, if nothing else.
Those merchant groups seemed a little bit small for the volume of trading you'd expect they'd be doing. But that's okay, these shows don't have infinite budgets...and the scenes of the groups traveling through the countryside, they were beautiful, very enjoyable. I was wondering about the flags, though--did merchant groups typically carry so many flags? Struck me as an odd thing for private commercial interests to be doing.
P.S. Say what you will about GB's hair, but Yon's hair seems much creepier to me. How does it levitate like that? Shilla must have had some monster boffo hair technology back then.